Miami Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn was rumored to be a finalist for the Suns' head coaching gig before Shams Charania dropped the bomb that it was down to Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott to land the job. It is unclear if Quinn took himself out of the running or did not make the cut, but Heat fans should be breathing a sigh of relief either way.
Quinn started his NBA career in Miami and played three seasons with the Heat as a backup guard. His playing career took several turns before he wound up on Miami’s staff in 2014. Quinn worked two years in player development before being promoted to assistant coach and eventually associate head coach. He just finished his 11th season on Erik Spoelstra’s staff and is certainly ready for a head coaching shot.
Everyone was rooting for Quinn to land the Suns’ gig, but nobody is complaining about his return. He has proven to be elite, and the Heat will likely surprise fans next season. Quinn will play a massive role in that success.
Chris Quinn is out of the running for the Suns’ head coaching job
Quinn also may have dodged a bullet. Phoenix has fired three head coaches in three seasons. They are likely to trade Kevin Durant this summer, but will still have delusional expectations of contending from owner Mat Ishbia. The 41-year-old does not want his first head coaching gig to be a short-lived nightmare where he is fired after one season at the helm.
Quinn has stability with the Heat. He should wait for the right opportunity where he has a runway to implement his schemes without the expectations of being an instant title contender while lacking the needed talent.
It will be interesting to see how Quinn missing out on the gig impacts the Heat’s rumored interest in Sergio Scariolo. The international legend has been an NBA assistant before, but may not want to be the number three in Miami. Only time will tell if anything comes of it.
Expect Chris Quinn to be linked to every head coaching role in the near future. He has built his resume as an assistant and is just waiting for the chance. It wasn’t meant to be in Phoenix, but his time is coming.
The Miami Heat have work to do this offseason. They were dominated by the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs and need more talent to be a serious threat next season. Can Pat Riley find a superstar? If not, how does he upgrade their roster? Adding talent is a must, especially if the Heat want to avoid the Play-In Tournament and win their first playoff series since Jimmy Butler's exit.
It is a crucial offseason in South Beach. At least, the Heat will have Chris Quinn back on the bench to help maximize their talent. It won’t be enough for a deep playoff run. That is on Riley and the front office to add the necessary talent.